Cutting mechanism for cigar-machines.



No. 817,830. PATENTED APR. 17, 1906- A. G. WOODFORD. CUTTINGMEGHANISM'FOR CIGAR MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1904.

I46 I57 IZ/ la /5/. A3013? 29% do: co Zww/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLAN G. WOODFORD, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONALCIGAR NIAOHINERY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

CUTTING MECHANISM FOR CIGAR-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 17, 1906.

Application filed April 9, 1904:. Serial No. 202,317-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALLAN G. WoonFoRD, a citizen of the United States,residing at J ersey City, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cutting Mechanismfor Cigar-Machines, fully described and represented in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in cutting mechanism forcigar-machines.

In an application filed by Oluf Tyberg on August 27, 1901, seriallynumbered 73,409, there'is disclosed an automatic machine in which afterthe cigar has been wrapped by a suitable mechanism it is taken by amovable carrier and transported to a delivery mechanism. In this machinethe trimming of the cigar is effected while the cigar is in the movablecarrier by means of suitable cutting devices which are automaticallymoved into and out of the path of the carrier. It sometimes happens,however, that the wrapping mechanism will fail to properly wind thewrapper on the bunch, so that an imperfect cigar is produced. If,however, this imperfect cigar be operated upon by the cutting ortrimming devices before referred to, the bunch will be too short to beagain put through the wrapping mechanism, and it is consequently wasted.

The present invention has for its object to produce an improved cuttingmechanism by which a cigar is trimmed after being wrapped and while inthe movable carrier, the cutting devices being movable into and out ofthe path of the carrier and means being provided to interrupt the actionof the trimming mechanism whenever desired and without interrupting theoperation of the rest of the machine.

I/Vith this and other objects not specifically referred to in view theinvention consists in certain constructions and in certain parts,improvements, and combinations, such as will be hereinafter fullydescribed and then specifically ointed out in the claims hereunto appenced.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates in side elevation somuch of the oper- "description thereof is given.

ating mechanism of a cigar-machine and its cutting devices as isnecessary to an understanding of the invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are detailviews.

Referring to the drawings, the type of cigar-machine which has beenselected to illustrate the invention is a machine for making cheroots,and for that reason'the cutting devices hereinafter referred to are ofsuch a character as to trim both ends of the wrapped cigar. It isapparent, however, that the invention might be used with other types ofmachines.

According to the present invention the cigar after being wrapped bymechanism (not shown) is taken by a carrier. This carrier may be of anysuitable construction. In the form selected to illustrate the inventionthere is provided an arm 120, which is mounted on a vertical shaft 121,this shaft being rotated in any suitable manner to produce the desiredmovement of the carrier. A description of the means for rotating thisshaft is not necessary to an understanding of the present invention, andsuch a description is therefore not given. Reference is made, however,to the application before referred to for a full disclosure of suitablemeans which may be employed for this purpose. the constructionillustrated is provided with a casting 128, having downwardly-extendingprojections 130 and 131, which projections are suitably formed toreceive the ends of the cigars. Between these projections and on eachside of the carrier are mounted a series of supporting-fingers 137,these fingers being supported on rocking rods 134. struction chosen toillustrate the invention the carrier is provided with an ejector 138,which is located between the fingers 137 and the action of which opensthe fingers, this ejector being mounted on a stem 139, slidingly mountedin the arm 120.

The operation of the ejector and the opening of the fingers are producedby means of a rocking arm 1 17, having a slotted end, said In the con-,

The arm 120 of arm engaging a pin 14,6 on the ejector-stem.

The'means for operating this arm and the means by which the ejectoreffects the opening of the fingers are unnecessary to an understandingof the present invention and no Reference is,

however, made to the application before re- 1 ated by the foot of theoperator. ferred to for a full disclosure of suitable means I which maybe employed. for this piirpose.

The cutter by which the trimming of the cigar is effected may be varied.in form and construction. As shown, however, the cutter consists ofrotating disks 190, mounted on a shaft 191, two of these disks beingemployed, as has been before stated, because the particular mechanism inwhich the invention is embodied is a cheroot-machine. Inasmuch as thecutter is to be moved into and out of the path of the carrier at propertimes, suitable means will be provided for offecting this movement. hilethese means may vary, in the construction shown the cutter-shaft 191 ismounted on suitable bearings on a slide-block 192, said block beingmounted in ways in a bracket 193, suitably secured to the machine-frame.The cutters may be rotated in any suitable manner. As shown, the shaft191 is provided with a spiral gear 201, which meshes with a gear 202,mounted on a shaft 203, which is suitably supported in themachine-frame. This shaft is provided near its lower end with a gear204, which is splined thereto and which is driven by suitableconnections (not shown) from the cigar-machine.

The means for effecting the movement of the cutter-head may be of anysuitable character. As shown, the head has connected to it a link 194,said link including a suitable adjusting-turnbuckle 195. The drivingmechanism by which the link is actuated may be of any suitablecharacter. As shown, however, it embodies a bell-crank lever 196 197,pivoted at 198 to a bracket on the machineframe. The arm 197 is formedwith a camhead 198, which is operated. upon by a stud 199, carried on agear 33, which is driven in any suitable manner from any moving part ofthe machine. The bell-crank is returned after being operated upon by thestud by means of a suitable spring 200.

The connection between the bell-crank le ver 196 197 and the operatingconnectinglink 194 is of such a character that the oper ation of thebell-crank may be interrupted at any desired time. While this connectionmay be of any desired character, as shown, the link 194 is provided withan open hook 605, which engages a stud 606 on the arm 196 of thebell-crank lever. By swinging the link 194, therefore, it is obviousthat the connection between the lever and the link will be interrupted.The means for swinging this link may be of any desired character. Asshown, there is provided a small bellcrank lever 607 608, saidleverbeing pivoted at 609 to the machine-frame Means for op erating thisbell-crank may be of any desired character. As shown, however, the arm608 has connected to it a swinging link 610, which leads to a suitabletreadle 611, which is actucarried into effect.

7 The arm 607 is so located that when the treadle is operated it willstrike the arm 194 and disconnect the hook 605 from the stud 606. Thereengagement of the link with the stud on the bell-crank will beeffected in any desired manneras, for instance, by means of a spring612. A second spring 613 may, if desired, be employed to retract thebell-crank lever 606 607. It is apparent that whenever an imperfectcigar is taken by the carrier before referred to the operator can bypressing on the treadle through the means described prevent the movementof the cutter, and the imperfect cigar will therefore pass the cutterwithout being trimmed. The bunch after being discharged by the carriercan then be again subjected to the action of the wrapping mechanism.

Changes and variations may be made in the construction by which thisinvention is The invention is not, therefore, to be limited to thedetails of construction herein shown and described.

What is claimed is 1. In a cigar-machine, the combination with a movablecigar-carrier, of a cutter, means for moving the cutter into and out ofthe path of the carrier to trim the cigar therein, and means forintermitting when desired the operation of said cutter-moving meanswhile the carrier is passing the cutter, to prevent the cigar from beingtrimmed.

2. In a cigar-machine, the combination with a movable cigar-carrier, ofa cutter, means for moving the cutter into and out of the path of thecarrier, and devices under the control of the operator for intermittingwhen desired the operation of the moving means while the carrier ispassing the cutter, to prevent the cigar from being trimmed.

3. In a cigar-machine, the combination. with a movable carrier, of acutter, a sliding head in which said cutter is mounted, a suitablemoving means, a driver, disconnectible connections between the driverand the head, and means under the control of the operator whereby saidconnections may be interrupted when desired, substantially as described.

4. In a cigar-machine, the combination with amovable carrier, of acutter, a sliding head, driving means including a lever, a linkconnection between the head and'the lever, and means under the controlof the operator for disconnecting the link from the lever, substantiallyas described.

5. In a cigar-machine, the combination with a movable carrier, of acutter, a sliding head in which the cutter is mounted, driving meansincluding a lever, a stud on the lever, a link having an open hookengaging the stud and pivoted to the head, and tripping devices underthe control of the operator for disconnecting the link from the stud,substantially as described.

6. In a cigarmachine, the combination With a movable carrier, of acutter, a sliding head in Which the cutter is mounted, driving meansincluding a lever, a stud on the lever, a link having an open hookengaging the stud and pivoted to the head, and tripping devicesincluding a suitable lever under the control of the operator fordisconnecting the link from the stud, substantially as described.

7. In a cigar machine, the combination with a movable carrier, of acutter, a sliding head in which the cutter is mounted, driving meansincluding a lever, a stud on the lever, a link having an open hookengaging the stud and pivoted to the head, and tripping devices underthe control of the operator for disconnecting the link from the stud,said tripping devices including a stud and a suitable lever, and meanscausing the hooked link to reengage with said stud When the trippingdevices are released, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

ALLAN G. WOODFORD.

Witnesses:

E. DOUGLAS SMITH, G. MAIFARTH.

